Route-indicator.



W. E. REILLY.

ROUTE INDICATOR.

APPLICATION ril/Eo MAY3.1915.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET x.

1,175,992. Patented mr.21,191.

W. E. REILLY.

ROUTE INDICATOR. APPLICATION man nam/3,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W. E. REILLY.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

'A 6l l L- l I f I 9L y %M n@ l l@ WIBGMJ WILLIAM E. REILLY, or,

" y BOTEJNDICATOR.

To ZZ :,Lzomitmay concern: i

Be it knoivn that I. lViLLiaM E. REILLY, acitizen of the llnited States, and a resident ofChiCagO, in thev countyef Cock andState of Illino s, have invented certain` new and useful Improvements in Route-Indicators,"

ofivhich the following is the specification.v

My invention relates to route indicators- `particularly adaptable for use lon automobiles' for indcating routes and information in connection tliere\v1th,. as4 for example,

- mileage, turns, obstructions, signs, reference .to places of interest along the route, etc..y

' i-Heretofore route and guide books havebeen used by touristslbutsuch `books have man v disadvantages. In the first place, they aredifiicult to handle, particularly ifvit is avindy. In the second Vplace, thendriver himself `cannothandle a bookasheis busy' With guiding,andcontrolling the machine, a book being therefore practically `useless Where .only the `driver is inthe machine, it requiring another person besides`- the driver for consultingy the book and `giving the information to the driver. with the jfurther disadvantage that the driver must get the inforv mation second-handed.

HThc general purpose of my invention is therefore to provide an indicating device Whch is controlled b v the travel of the machine and which can be placed 'in position to be comfortably and readily observed by the driver Without in any Wise disturbing and interfering with control `and guiding of the machine by him. i y

.Among theimportant objects of the invention are to produce a' simple compact .indicating device which ,can be readily i `coupled to a Wheel of the' vehicle and which i Y travel of the` tape and movement of the indi! cations thereonfthrough Lthe line of sight at 50` la rate proportional and in synchronism With involves a tape whichpassesthrough a field of sight on the instrument and which tape has, thereon the `desired information 'con-- cerning a certain route.

Another object is to `provide improved pay-out and in-take reel mechanism, and

`feed mechanism for the tapeand improved propelling mechanism therefor for causing the route traveled over. y g Another ob]ect isto `provide improved construction for enabling removal of reels and substitution of others.

i Another object isnto provide for uncou- Vspecification of Letters Patent. f Appiicatio'n; aia may a., 1915. v'serial No. 25,519..

Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

pling of the reel mechanism from the drive mechanism and vfor enabling movement of the tapeI independently of the drive mechanism'in order that thetape may be adjusted before starting or, ifiieccssary, brought into adjustment iat any time during travel over a route. v

rl"he vabove and other featuresV of the inventionare clearly illustrated on the accompanying drawings iii-which- Figure 1 is a plan vievv of the device, Fig. 2 is a View of the reel s'de of the device ivith the cover removed, Fig. 3 is a view of the propulsion mechanism side-with the cover .removed and parts brokenvavvay, Fig. 4 is a -plan vieu1 with part of the top wall removed, Fig. 5 is a sectional vieu7 on plane `5--5, Fig. 2, Fig. 6 is a sectional view on plane 6 6, Fig.v 3, and Fig. 7 is a sectional vie\v on plane 7-7, ',Fig. 5. i'

Thepinclosing structure for kthe mechanism of the device is in theform of a. rectangular body part 10 preferably of sheet metal, divided by a longitudinal `partition 11 into `side compartments 12 and 13 for containing respectively `tape propelling and guiding 'mechanism` and propulsion mechanism therefor. The tape mechanism side of the body is adapted to be closed by a cover 14, and thepropulsion mechanism side isadapted to be closed by a cover or lid 15,-the cover 14 being preferably hinged to the bottom of the body 10 as indicated at 16, and latches 17 'being preferably provided at the topof the body for locking the cover in closed position. Pests 18 extending laterally frointhe partition Wall 11 form" seats forthecovenor lid 15, and `screws 19 may beaitiliz'edfor securingthe lid iii/'closing positionto the posts.

Extending transversely through the body at the sides and below the center line thereof are reel shafts and 21 for supportingrespectively the intake reel structure. 22 and-gw the pay-out reel structure 23. These shafts-" are journaled in the partition 11, the ends thereof extending through the compartment 12, being journaled in the openings 24 and 25 in the cover 14, and the other ends of the shafts being journaled in openings 26 and Q7 provided in the lid 15 when the cover and lid are closed. Above the shafts Q0 and-21 and midway therebetween. the shaft Q8 extends transversely through Athe bodv lllfbeing liournaled in the partition ivall 11 and at its ends gear 'laud thek pnlley17Q, the gear 71 meshingwiththe gear `68. .The `shaft 70 is'Journaledfat itsinneifendinfpartition 11 and its outer end fiiiithe bearing 58. provided n 't 20@ forvthe" take-up reel mechanism sleeured thereto apulleyVZl, a `belt 75 passing-rabout o, the* pulleys. o "Therefore, as f o i y l isrotatedrtheintake reel iecliaiiisniwill be revolved.)`

Directly1 above the` shaftf, the` shaft carries` a 1. gearg? v which meshesfwith the lvvlieing jourmiledy atits inner 'end in parltiticn llfaiid at its outer end inthe bearing pening T9 providedl'in thefcover 15. To ie-ileftf` of shaftXG` isl anoth' 'shaft` 80 `)onrnaled atfits inner `end iiitheipartitioii and @at "itskouter end in, an `opening S1 secured thereto p ang a r S2 lwhich meshes y ith'igear t; fandy ali-ries allsoa pulley 83 conneetedby beltglwith o the. pulley 85 sed to the shaft Q1 fof .the pay-out` reel i. ieiaii' n 2.23"; {Above thefsliaft 80 is the haft SQjonrnjaledat'iitsinner end in par- 'tion 11 afiid; atl itslouter` endin opening `iet-"over lgand this sli'a-ftcarries the `1)ropulsionAvlieely31.;l i

`When the inainshaft rotated thc `are-1alljpositivel rctatedygTlie gearing ar-` rangement and proportionris; however, such hat :thereels` willberrotated `in a direction `anta "stic tothe directioiisiof rotation of propil, on `wheel 1 2l o "and at. Aa greater ieriliiheral,ifate. `i\lo`re specifically, `the aro ,aiigeinentf issuch that the fdriving train ".betwveeiitheshaft and the intake roll :mechanismiivillqtend.sto rotate the spool to hill on the tape; in al direction away from the Y )repulsion wheel Slfaster than `the tape is Vdelilverwl"to tht hep` v-out reelmechanism.Qavillytend to tate the spool, toi pull.` thetape away from ,the` repulsion wheelrthedirection of ro- `tations;effort` being inf athe direction `of the ota'ted "bythe,unwiiidingpullmof the tape the cover `15.`opBelow"the pulley 72 Athe e' ariTS` secured oiiftliejsliaftY,the shaft.

t provided 1iii the coverfll@ This `shaft 80 o @fgear pinioii wliichfineslieswith gear 89. l securedto thesliatt28owhich carries the eel structures and "thefpropulsion` wheel 31 p v p `iool Qfroni the wheel, and `the-drirmg "train betweeiifthe shaft 55 and rrows" .lfzfandygf However..thczbelts 75 and,

"ga'iid` sufliciently fi'ictioiiless to f llow` slippage: `tlieieofnon y the small pulleys cover 15.

f oiled to facilitate slippage, but care must be taken to prevent too much slippage in order that slack will always be taken up and the `tape kept taut. A

In Fig. 1 an idea is `given how .the tape may be marked and printed to indicate the route and information in connection therewith. `The line t will indicate the route traveled over, b might represent a bridge, c

v a slow-speed Signal, d a railroad crossing,

e a culvert, etc., while the laterally extending arrows f might indicate cross roads to be taken in the direction indicated. At one 4side of the tape legends g could be printed indicative of towns or localities and information with reference thereto. rl`he indicator would preferably be secured in position to be conveniently and readily observedby the driver and as the tape propelledacross thesight opening and past `the sightrod 36 the driver can'readily observe the indications and information on the tape and can control and guide his machine accordingly.` After he has gone over one rollte he can open up the indicator and take out the reel mechanisms and then remove the take-up spool with the wound-up tape y thereon and apply to the pay-out reel mech- `anisni another spool with tape wound during travel over a route, provision is made v for uneoupling the driving trains fi'oiii the shaft and for independently turning the reels. As best shown in Fig. 6, the sha-ft G6 which carries 'the gear G5 is slidable in a sleeve lll() extending from partition 11 into compartment 13. ltncircling the inner end 'of the shaft and compressed between the partition 11 and a collar 91 secured to the shaft end, is a spring 92 which tends to hold the shaft in with the gear G5 in mesh with the worm and with the gear GS. rl`he opening y93 in cover 15 and has the knurled head 91 securedthereto by means of which `outer end of the shaft- (36 extends through it might be pulled outwardly against the force of spring 92 to nnmesh the gear 65 from the worm and from the gear GS. In order to `hohl the shaft in its outer position it has a lock pin 95 vadapted'to pass through the slot 9G in the cover 15 adjacent opening l, and when the shaft is rotated after pulling out. thereofthe pin will be out of register with the slotand will abut against the cover 15`to lock the shaft in outer position.

`The headV 91 has preferably screw threaded engagement with the shaft in order that it may be removed to allow removal of the The ends of the reel mechanism shaftswQfO vand 2l have threadedextensions 97 and 9S beyond the-cover 15 for receiving knurled heads 99 and 100 respectively, these A,heads being adapted to be lockedk against unscrcwing bvpins 101 andk102, which pins are removable. iii order to allow removal of the headswhen it is desired to remove the cover 15. When the shaft 66 is pulled out and the transn'iissionrtrains inicoupled from the drive shaft 55 either one of the heads 99 or 100 can be turned to effect rotation of they corresponding reel mechanism to cause propulsion of the tape and adjustment thereof with reference to the sight opening and the sight rod 36. Then when the shaft (36 is released and the gear G5 again carriedA into mesh the trains will be connected withthe drive shaft 55 and the indicatorwill oper-v atei as soon as the vehicle is started.

I thus provide a simple, compaetand etli- `cient route vindicatorwhich can be readily secured inposition to be conveniently con# suited by the driver of a Vehicle without interfering with his conti'ol'of the vehicle. I do not, of course, desire to be limited to theexaet constructions, arrangement and I claim the following:

1. In a routevrindicator', the-combination of an'inclosing frame having a sight open- Ling, a reel structure for tape to be drawn. Vpastsaid sight opening, a drive shaft journaled in said frame, ka supporting shaft for vthe reel structure and driving connection therebetween and said drive shaft, said' reel-l structure comprising inner and vouter en d disks and a tubular core, one end disk being separable from said shaft, a spool detachably slidable oii said core, the endsl of said spool and core beingslotted, a key on said i'ecl shaft for receiving said slots when the reel core with the spool thereon is slid on to the reel shaft whereby said spool and core are secured to the reel shaft against rotation thereon.

2. In a route indicator, the combination of an-inclosing frame having a sight opening, a reelv structure for tape to be drawn past said sight opening, a drive shaft jour-y naled in said frame, a su porting shaft for thereel structurev and 'di-iving connection therebetween and said drive shaft, said reel structure comprising inner and outer end vdisks and a tubular core, one end disk being permanently mounted onsaidshaft and said other end disk being secured to the core and separable from said shaft, a spool detachably slidable on said core, the ends ofv said spool and-core being slotted, a key on said reel shaft for receiving said slots when the reel core with the spool thereon is slid onto the reel shaft whereby said spool and core are securedto the reel shaft against rotation thereon, land a cover fo'r said frame having a bearing openingfor receiving the outer end of said reel shaft when closed, andv serving when closed to confine the reel to said reel shaft. I

vIn witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 1st dayof May, A. D., 1915.

' W. REILLY.

Witnesses: v

vALBERT G. ROSENBAUM,

RICHARD R. KLEIN. 

